Offaly-born theft charge priest says money was his to spend

An Offaly-born priest accused of stealing over a half a million dollars from a Florida church is arguing this week that the money was his to spend. Fr Francis Guinan"s defence team told a US court this week that the Catholic Church gave such wide latitude on priest"s expenditures, as long as they were below $50,000 in one spend, that the money had no strings attached. The 66-year-old cleric originally from Eglish, Birr, stands charged with stealing almost $500,000 from his former church in Delray Beach in Florida. It is alleged he spent money on things like gambling trips to the Bahamas and Las Vegas, where he was considered a high roller. 'If they"ve given him the right and discretion to spend $50,000, he can do it any which way that the priest has decided,' Fr Guinan"s defence team said during his trial this week. His legal team also questioned Fr Charles Notabartolo, vicar general of the Palm Beach County diocese, whether priests have discretion to spend under $50,000 without approval from anyone else, a situation he admitted that they do. The vicar general went on to say that such funds were supposed to be spent 'for the good of the parish' but couldn"t say that the rule was written anywhere. Also in evidence this week, Colleen Head, an assistant to the priests said she had helped count the Sunday morning collections. She told the court that Fr Guinan would ask to see the cash offerings, but would regularly return them to her containing less money. The case against the Offaly cleric, who faces up to 30 years in prison if convicted, is expected to last two weeks.